INDIGENOUS FARMING SYSTEMS AND CHALLENGES OF THE HIGAONON TRIBE IN ROGONGON, ILIGAN CITY: SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Indigenous farming systems sustain food security, ecological stewardship, and cultural continuity, yet among the Higaonon of Rogongon, their continuity is threatened by land constraints, declining pest-control effectiveness, climate variability, low income, and security disruptions. Empirical documentation of these interconnected socio-economic and agroecological conditions remains limited. This study aimed to document and assess the indigenous farming systems of the Higaonon Tribe in Barangay Rogongon, Iligan City, Philippines. Specifically, it described socio-economic characteristics, farming systems and practices, pest and weed management, indigenous soilquality indicators, and challenges affecting farming sustainability. Thirty key informants with farming experience and cultural knowledge were selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and analysed using descriptive statistics. Results revealed that most respondents were female (60%) and mature adults aged 51 to 80 years (46.67%). In particular, farming was the primary livelihood of 56.67% of respondents, with an average monthly income of ₱2,800 ($48.20). Although shifting cultivation remains culturally embedded, 40% practice semi-sedentary farming, while others have shifted to sedentary cultivation due to limited land, labour, and resources. Pest management relied on scarecrows, holed-land traps, and corn barriers, whereas soil fertility was assessed through soil colour, texture, plant vigour, and weed presence. Higaonon farming combines ancestral knowledge and adaptive strategies, though it remains vulnerable to pest outbreaks, shortened fallow periods, climate variability, labour limitations, and security concerns. Overall, the study highlights the need for culturally sensitive agricultural support, capacity-building programmes, and sustainable innovations that strengthen food security while preserving the Higaonon Tribe’s indigenous ecological knowledge.